Intervention
by Mrs. Hotchner-Wolfe
Summary: inspired by Arcade Fire's "Intervention". Set 6 months after "end of an era". Important pieces of said story are included at the beginning! njoy and review.
1. Prolouge Part 1

_**END OF AN ERA**_

--------------------------------Ryan POV--------------------------

I felt a sudden urge to go the lab. I can't explain it. I just needed to go. Maybe I felt bad for the argument Horatio and I had last night

------------------------------Calleigh's POV---------------------

He seemed so sad. So unlike him. He had been distant with us all, especially Ryan. It was as though he knew something bad was going to happen., Horatio said only one word, " Goodbye," and walk away

----------------------------Delko's POV------------------------------

Something was wrong. I could feel it. Horatio did pull me aside yesterday, talk to me about Marisol and Speed, about how proud they would be of me. Cal and Wolfe told me what they had felt this morning We stopped when we saw Stetler and other IAB officers rummaging around drawers and files and in the locker room with evidence boxes

-----------------------------Stetler's POV--------------------------------

" A neighbour went to see Horatio this morning, called it in. There was blood in the kitchen a match to him. We questioned the neighbour, his story checks out. Music was blaring from his house. Checked it out. Horatio's missing, presumed dead. There was no other evidence and everyone who has a grudge checks out. this is a cold case until something more comes up, which it probably won't. We found this for you on his study desk. I think he knew something was going to happen. You can open it whenever you're ready. He also left this. It says he wants Wolfe in charge. if you'll follow me please." Delko had his arm around Calleigh and Natalia, while Tripp comforted Alexx, and Elle just stood there, frozen.

Their friend, mentor, was gone and things were about to change dramatically.

**Continuation of **_**"The end of an era"**_

**6 Months later...**

Ryan stood and leaned over the railing. He looked out at the city of Miami and had the letter Horatio had left for him in his hands. "6 months later and you still can't bring yourself to open it. You're pathetic. You're a moron. You're a _pathetic moron!" _he said to himself. He was still staring at the city when he realised someone was standing there. He turned as Calleigh and Eric mimicked his position on either side of him.

" Hey babe!" Calleigh said with a big smile on her face. He returned it with a smaller smile of his own. She looked over at Eric. They all missed Horatio and it was hard on them. Ryan was different. He wasn't fun Ryan anymore. He was scared, sad and stressed. " What you doin?" she asked

He held up the letter. " Fighting with myself about whether or not I should open it!"

"Wolfe, you still haven't opened it yet? There might be something important in there!" Delko stated, raising his voice.

" I know that Eric... I just..." He didn't even know why he hadn't opened it himself. " What are you guys doing out here.?"

" Worrying about you!" Calleigh answered. " Ryan, you stay here late every night, come in early every morning. The only time we get to hang out anymore is at the crime scene. We miss you..." Calleigh's voice was raised and tears began rolling down her face. " We just want our friend back. We want things back the way they were!"

Ryan put his arms around her and hugged her. " I know, I know. So do I."

" Then take it easy, Wolfe," Delko said.

" We don't want to lose you like we lost Horatio!" Calleigh said, pulling away from his hug and looking at him.

Ryan looked at two of his friends he had abandoned in the past six months. He missed them too and he hated Horatio. He never thought anyone could but he did. " You won't, I promise. I'll take it easy from now on." He smiled at them. His pager went off. Ryan looked at it. "911 from Stetler," he announced. He turned and left with out saying goodbye. He put the letter back into his pocket and headed for his office.

He passed the breakroom adn saw Elle talking to Natalia and Alexx, wanting to do nothing else but walk in there, grab her and kiss so deeply, it made her go weak at the knees. That thought fly away, when she looked up and turned away when he smiled at her. She hadn't spoken to him in five and a half months. Not that he could blame her. Horatio was like a big brother to her or maybe an uncle. He kept going. Stetler was waiting for him in his office. He turned around when he heard the door open.

" Did you open it yet?" he said without a greeting.

" Hey, Rick! How are you? Good? Good! Oh, me, thanks for asking? Yeah, yeah, no, I'm the same, yeah. What can I do for you?" he rattled off going behind his desk.

" This is serious... have you opened the letter yet?

Ryan took it out and threw it on the table. " No!"

" Now!"

" Look Stet-"

"Now, Ryan!"

" Fine!" Ryan grabbed it and opened it and pulled out a sheet of paper. He hesitated before opening it and, as he was about to, Stetler grabbed it off him. "Hey!"

Stetler read through it quickly. It's just what I thought." He handed it back to Ryan, who began reading.

" ' Ryan, if you're reading this, then I'm gone and you're in charge...' " His voice trailed off. He suddenly looked up at Stetler who nodded. " I'm terribly sorry but are you telling me that Horatio choose me because according to " 'DNA results included' " He stopped and looked at the other sheet. " - I'm his son.

"Horatio and I, we weren't always enemies. I knew him when he was engaged to your mother, Jennifer Anders. She died in childbirth with your sister, when you were only one. Horatio couldn't handle it. First he moved you both up to New York but he realised he couldn't take care of you... reminded him of the pain. He had to put you up for adoption. It killed him, I promise you. It was his love for you that kept telling him you were the child he abandoned. When he met that day at the crime scene, he felt the exact same thing he felt when you were just born... and you wrapped your tiny little hand around his finger. He has pictures of you as a baby."

" No... can't be his son. I just can't be!" Ryan got up and grabbed his coat.

" Ryan, Horatio choose you to take his place because you are unselfish. If you want to know the truth, they're buried at Evercrest Cemetery, plot 217; Jennifer and Regina Caine. See for yourself. But there's something in that letter that affects everyone." He began reading again.

He suddenly ran out the door. He took the stairs rather than the elevator, a habit he had taken up six months ago. He jumped into car and drove in the direction of Evercrest cemetery. He got there just as the sun disappeared. He grabbed a flashlight and began his search for plot 217. when he found it he was shocked to find that the names were Jennifer and Regina Caine. Stetler was telling the truth and so was Horatio. The rest of the letter was true. He got back to the car and drove back to the lab. He saw that everyone was in the breakroom, getting ready to leave and walked in. Natalia, Alexx and Tripp greeted him, Elle didn't even acknowledge his presence and Calleigh and Delko gasped in mock horror and looked at each other. " Shock horror!" they exclaimed. Ryan couldn't help but smile. and leaned against the door, intrigued and amused in spite of what happened. They stood right in front of Ryan, still looking at each other.

" Could it be ? Calleigh said.

" Is he actually coming out to drinks with us?" Eric asked.

" Or going home early, at the very least?" They both swung their heads around to look at Ryan, mouths wide open. Natalia, Alexx and Tripp were laughing and Elle looked up smirking. Ryan smiled.

" Cute! You done?" he asked

" Seriously, man, what's brought you out of your cave this time of night?" Delko asked.

Ryan's smile faded slightly and took out the letter he had opened and held it out so they could see it. " Shock horror!" He said quietly.

" You opened it!" Calleigh said in disbelief. " What does it say?"

" What possibly possessed him to put you in charge?" Elle asked sarcastically.

Ryan nodded. He threw his keys on the table." But that's not important now. There's something else in here. Em, Tim Speedle, was there anyone who hated him, someone he put away... maybe wanted to see him dead?"

The team shook their heads in confusion but Elle looked Ryan in the face, not with anger, not with sadness but with a confusion different to the others. " The night we got engaged, he put away a big gang boss, Valduchi. When he cuffed him, he threatened Tim's life. Said he would pay a massive price for this. Tim was terrified he'd go after him, he even thought about running few times but Horatio talked him out of it. His trial was scheduled for the week Tim died, I think." She laughed dryly. " Horatio never thought Tim's death was an accident." She stopped. " He was right wasn't he? Valduchi put a hit out on Tim, didn't he."

" No! But Horatio and Tim weren't the only ones scared. The feds too." He looked at Elle. "Tim's not dead!"

Everyone was shocked. Elle punched him in the eye, causing him to stumble backwards. " You know what Wolfe? I really hope you rot in hell!" _So that's what it feels like to be stabbed in the heart_, he thought.

" ELLE!!" They shouted.

" Owww, crazy bitch!" he exclaimed.

" RYAN!"

" Sorry! My God. Look, first off, he's far from dead, actually he's alive and in Witness Protection. it says so here." He indicated the letter. " Secondly, That really hurt!" _Physically and emotionally! _

She smiled. " Couldn't care less!" Delko got him an ice pack.

" But, but... we saw the blood, the gun wound, I preformed the autopsy myself!" Alexx said in amazement.

" I don't know how they pulled it off, but they did!" Everyone went quite.

" What about why he put you in charge?" Tripp asked. Everyone, including Ryan, sighed in relief that the silence was broken. But Ryan really didn't want to go there now. He wanted a few drinks: one against his eye, a few down his throat.

"Some other time," he said, getting up, " I think you guys have had all you can take from one night!"

"No... Now!" Elle said, not taking her eyes from the floor. She felt hurt, angry and betrayed. She loved Tim and Horatio lied to her. She just felt cold. She wanted to stop hating Horatio and start hating Ryan again.

"I'm his son!" he said so quietly, they barely heard him.

" What?" they all said together.

" He's my dad, alright!?" he said loud and frustrated. Again the room was in shock. He explained what Stetler told him. " I checked alright and the plot's there." He threw the letter on the table. Elle picked it up. " 'DNA results for Ryan Wolfe... match to Horatio Caine'!"

" Maybe we should all just go home! Get some sleep. there's been a lot of information to take in tonight!" Calleigh said. She looked at Ryan. " Especially YOU! And you promised to go easy. So get some rest! We can all talk in the morning!"

" I don't feel like sleeping!" Ryan said.

" Well, either we talk now, or we talk tomorrow. Your choice... You don't have to go home!"

Ryan hesitated, then quickly got up and grabbed his keys. He drove to a hotel bar he liked. It had really good singers. He was finishing his second scotch, when a waitress came up to him with another. He smiled at her and she bent down and whispered in his ear. " In your dreams, babe!" She tilted her head in the direction of what Ryan could only make out as a man sitting in the shadows. Ryan's curiosity got the better of him and he got up and walked over.

" I knew that would get your attention!"

" Look, thanks but I'm not interested! Sorry!" he turned to walk away.

" That's funny. Horatio Caine's son... I expected you to be straight."

Ryan turned back. " Well you thought right!" he said confused. " How'd you know who I am? Who are you?"

The man leaned forward, out of the shadows and Ryan recognised him. " I'm Tim Speedle! Have a seat Ryan Wolfe." Ryan sat.

" I thought Valduchi was after you!"

" Valduchi's dead! Found in Coney Island this afternoon. Wasn't too friendly up there! So how's your day been?"

" Well let's see... Calleigh breaks down in my arms, Elle's barely taking to me yet it's ok to hit me. Found out Horatio's my father, my mother and baby sister are dead and you're alive. It's been GREAT." He finished his drink and Tim asked the waitress for another. " Why?"

" Because I'm about to make it even better..." He leaned in closer. " Horatio's alive!!!"

**Dum dum dum.**

**A/N :**** He's alive. Please review!**


	2. Prolouge part 2

The waitress brought back their drinks. Ryan was in pure shock. His friend, his mentor, his father was alive and made absolutely no attempt to contact him. _Hang on a second. How can I be sure that this is in fact Tim Speedle... Plastic surgery works miracles nowadays. I have to test him. _" What are the names of Delko's sisters?"

" Maria, Esmerelda and Marisol who was murdered by Antonio Riaz or Diablo Riaz... whichever you prefer... member of the Mala Noche!" He smirked. " How'd I do?"

" How do you know Horatio's alive?"

"We've made contact."

" Why you and not me??"

" Awww! What? Baby Wolfe jealous... Relax. He was just trying to protect you."

"Protect me... PROTECT ME!! From what??"

" Valduchi." He looked at Ryan who had a confused look on his face. " Valduchi knew I was alive and he knew that Horatio knew and Horatio thought that if anyone found out you were his son it would get back to Valduchi and he'd use you to get Horatio to talk about my hiding place." Tim took a sip of scotch. " Plus Valduchi's Mala Noche, Ryan, you are not safe... Especially now. They want Horatio... hence Horatio's disappearance. Valduchi found out about everything and when he wouldn't talk, he was killed... or at least that's what we think happened. It's all just a guessing game for us really. They won't stop until they get him. Which is why I'm here." His face turned serious. " H. is missing... for real this time. Last time I heard he was in Maryland, but when I tried contacting him, I got nothing ."

"I'll do what I can!" Ryan offered. He'd have to call Stetler, and fill in the others. He certainly didn't want Speedle running off again. " In the meantime, I have a spare room."

" Thanks but..."

" If Mala Noche are in on this, the will find you."

" Fine... Thanks Ryan."

They got up and arrived at Ryan's place half an hour later. Tim hopped in the shower while Ryan rang Stetler and filled him in on everything. He told Ryan that he would meet them in the lab in the morning. Ryan finally jumped into bed and fell into a restless sleep.

He woke again and rummaging from the kitchen. He grabbed his gun and quietly went outside to the kitchen. He prepared to fire if he needed to but lowered his gun when he saw Speed in the fridge.

" Hope I didn't wake you!" he said without looking up.

" No... I don't get much sleep nowadays. Mind passing me out a beer." he asked when he felt his head throbbing and remembered the force of Elle's hit.

" A little early isn't it." He took out two and handed one to Ryan. When he saw it was for his head he went back into the fridge and took out another bottle which he handed to Ryan.

" Thanks," he said, opening the bottle and taking a long swig.

" How'd that happen?" Tim asked pointing to the beer to Ryan's head.

" I told the others what Horatio wrote in the letter about you and Elle wasn't a bit happy about it!" He stopped when he remembered that Tim and Elle were engaged before he "died". " She hasn't been too happy with me since Horatio left."

" She certainly has a temper," Tim said smiling.

" Tell me about it," and both men laughed.

Tim silenced first. " You know I've never stopped loving her. I've thought about her everyday..." Speed noticed the uncomfortable look on Ryan's face. " And so have you." Ryan glanced up at Speed. " So how is she... how's everyone... Cal, Delko, Alexx?"

" I barely talk to Elle anymore, Cal broke down in my arms because I work myself too hard. She and Delko are engaged with a kid. And Alexx is the same motherly woman I've always known."

"Tripp..."

"... is still as sarcastic as ever!"

" And Stetler?"

" He is actually quite nice now. He's been helping out with everything." He looked up and saw the look on Speed's face. " Whoa... don't look so shocked!"

" I'm not... He and H. were pretty close. He was your god father."

They stayed up all night, talking and getting to know each other. When the sun started to rise, Ryan jumped in the shower and the two set off to the lab. Ryan wasn't surprised to see that the lab was practically deserted. They went to his office where they met Stetler waiting for them.

An hour later the rest of the group entered into the office seeing only Ryan and Stetler. Tim had decided to surprise them and sat on the chair behind the desk facing the window.

Calleigh was the first to speak. " I thought you said you were gonna take it easy... you look like you've been up the whole night."

" Most of, actually, thanks to a splitting headache caused by alcohol intake, information overload and that fist." He said pointing to Elle.

" Anytime," she said smiling.

" Oh come on, Ellie," Tim said, swinging around to face his old friends and co-workers, " give the kid a break!"

The group stood in shock.

" Timmy..." Alexx was barely able to say.

" Speed..." Calleigh and Delko said at the same time as Alexx.

" Ease up! You look like you've seen a ghost."

" That's not funny, you ass!" Tripp said... very loudly.

" Jeez sorry, give a guy a break." Tim turned his attention to Elle who was near tears. He got up and walked to her. " Hey Ellie..." He reached up to brush away a strand of hairRyan took his eyes off the two and walked behind his desk and sat down.

" You want to tell them everything." Speed looked slightly to Ryan and smirked, knowing the atmosphere he had created for the youngster. He told them all about Valduchi and the Mala Noche and Horatio. There was silence for a few minutes as everyone took in the information.

" But I preformed the autopsy... How?" Alexx asked.

" We found this guy... he looked somewhat like me... he was dying of cancer... We took him to a plastic surgeon... lifted a bit here and there... I left and he got killed!"

" That's sick..." Delko said.

" Do what you have to to survive."

" So where's Horatio now?" Calleigh asked.

" That's the problem I don't know... He's not returning my calls or e-mails or letters... anything."

" You were supposed to looking out for him and you have no idea where he is... HOW?" Elle asked. She looked at Stetler and Ryan. " How do you even know that this is really Tim?"

Tim laughed. " Funny... Wolfe-boy here thought the same thing... What a coincidence!" Tim looked at Ryan. " It's like you two have a connection."

Elle looked at him with disgust. " The only connection we have is when my fist hits his face... Care for the same connection."

" Hey Elle... don't even think about it," Stetler said. " We need him."

" Back off, Stetler!"

"Elle, leave it... we need them both."

" Whoa... you're defending both of them," Alexx said.

" Not something you see everyday," Tripp said, rubbing his temples.

" We need them if we're going to find Horatio!" Ryan said over the arguing of Elle and Speed.

The whole room erupted in shouts from nearly all of the occupants. All fighting over the lies and deceit that has been around and blaming Speedle for everything.

" ALRIGHT EVERYONE JUST SHUT UP!!" Tripp bellowed. The whole room fell silent.

The door to the office swung open and all occupants turned to face their visitor. " Now, how do you propose you could possibly have a have civil team meeting without me..." their visitor asked.

**AN: Guess who the visitor is!! Press the purple blue bottom to guess! **


	3. The Kings Taking Back The Throne

**THE KING'S TAKEN BACK HIS THRONE**

The room stared back at their visitor in utter shock for exactly five minutes. It was Ryan who finally broke the silence. " Horatio!"

" Don't you mean Dad..." Tim said.

" Horatio, I'm speechless..." Stetler said.

" That's a first!" Tripp replied.

" I know you probably have a lot of questions... Ask away." The room was in silence once more. " Anybody?" Ryan raised his hand. " Mister Wolfe."

" What the frick... in the name of all that is so frickin' holy... are you doing here?" he asked as calmly as he could.

Horatio smiled and told them everything. " It had been planned since I found out Valduchi was Noche... The night I left... I needed to say goodbye to you all... I needed to make sure you were right for the job..." he said looking to Ryan. " We got a group together, make it look like an abduction... I got in touch with Speed. We kept an eye on all of you. We found out that Valduchi was Mala Noche... we figured that I was in danger... and then we found out that Valduchi somehow found out about my s..." He stopped and looked again at Ryan. " About you... and then he died. Speed said he'd come back but I couldn't risk it so I had to come as well!"

The room was in silence again. Ryan ran a hand through his hair. He got up and grabbed his jacket.

" Where you goin'?" Delko asked.

" I... um... I don't know... I need some air!"

" Babe-" Calleigh began, grabbing his arm on the way out.

" Information overload... that's all..." He walked out of the lab and to the car park. He hopped in and drove to the beach.. He had been sitting there for a while when he felt someone else standing next to him. He looked up and saw Stetler standing next him.

Ryan looked back out to the sea. " Hey, godfather... "

" How'd you know that?" Stetler asked, sitting next to him.

" Speedle."

" You need to go back there and deal with everything..."

" Why? Why me? Why can't I just run like Horatio and Speedle did?"

" Because the whole team needs you... As much as they need Horatio and Speedle."

" He's more of a jackass then I thought..."

" Who?"

" Both of them," Ryan said sulkily.

" Look, Wolfe... Don't let Speedle get to you!"

" Don' let... Don't let Speedle get to me? How can I **not** let Speedle get to me?" Ryan stood up now and began walking. Stetler followed him. " First I come in as his replacement, everyone making me feel like I shouldn't be there or that I'd never live up to him... Then my father goes and tells him more then he'd **ever** tell me... Then he waltzes back in and steels the love of my life back before I even get a chance to tell her how I feel!"

Stetler went silent. All that was true, he knew, but it all had to be done. Soon, he knew Ryan would see that. " I know that all of this, adjusting to your new family, dealing with the team, being lieutenant... it's hard, on everyone, and if you ever need to rant and rave about anything at all... Well, we're practically family and I wasn't made your godfather for no reason..." Stetler looked down.

" We should probably be heading back!" They made their way back to the car. Ryan hopped into the driver's seat. " So this is pretty messed up, huh?"

" What's that?" Stetler asked, as both men put on their seat belts.

" Well, last year, I never thought I'd be opening up to jackass Rick Stetler who turned out to be my godfather and my Dad's , Horatio Caine's, best friend..." They both laughed as they made their way back to the lab.

They came off the elevator and headed to the breakroom where everyone had moved to. Horatio, however, was glimpsed by Ryan in the office. " I'll be right there."

He came to the office and just walked in.

" Mister Wolfe," Horatio said casually, without looking back to the younger man.

Hearing Horatio call him that after all he had found out was like a dagger in his stomach and made him cringe. He knew he wasn't a Wolfe. He was a Caine and now everyone knew it. He didn't bring it up though. He knew it would end up as incomprehensible yells. Instead, he calmly said, " You're back?" Horatio nodded. " For good?"

" 'Till the day I die."

Ryan took a deep breath. " Then welcome back... Lieutenant!" Ryan turned and walked out, looking for Stetler.

**A/N: Not one of my best, I know... But Horatio is taking back the crime lab... YAYYY!!**


	4. The Useless Seed Is Sown

**THE USELESS SEED IS SOWN**

Two weeks had passed since Horatio and Tim's reappearance. Horatio took over the crime lab again and Ryan had never been so happy to be a level 1 CSI. He was talking to his old friends again. There were just a few problems: Horatio was barely looking at him; Elle continued to ignore him; and Tim Speedle was really beginning to annoy him, saying things about Elle that made him want to hit him. Everywhere Elle went, Speedle was sure to be, smiling childishly at Ryan, boiling Ryan's blood.

Ryan stared at the two while Delko was saying something.

"WOLFE!"

Ryan jumped. "Sorry… I'm…"

"Fantasizing… Look, tell her."

"Even if I had the guts to tell her, I can't get a second alone with her. He's always there."

"Alright… fine." Delko walked out of the AV lab. He spoke to Elle and Speedle for a second. Elle looked at Ryan, sighed, and then walked his way while Delko and Speedle walked in the other direction.

Ryan's eyes grew wide. Elle walked into the room and sat next to him in front of the computer. She glanced over and smiled. "Hi."

Ryan jumped back. "Is that lack of hostility I hear?" he asked in mock shock.

Elle smiled. She grabbed his hand. "I'm sorry… It's just… Horatio and you and… I hate change."

Ryan smiled. "I know…"

_I love you._

"Where'd Delko go?"

"He swapped with me.""Speedle must've loved that."

Elle laughed. "Ry… You're one of my best friends, you know that…?"

Ryan nodded. _Good god I really love you! _"I know…"

Elle looked at the screen. She smiled. "Are you socializing on the job?" Ryan looked at the screen. A notification announced that he had one unread message.

He opened it. It was a link to a live webcam feed from an unknown sender. "Oh my god!"

"Is that….?"

"It's literally a ticking time bomb! Go get Horatio… NOW!"

Ryan ran his fingers across the keys trying to triangulate the location of the bomb. "Oh shit!"

He ran out of the AV lab and ran into Horatio, Elle, Frank, Delko and Speedle.

"Do we have a location?" Horatio asked.

"Here! It's coming from the building!"

Horatio stopped. "Get the place and all surrounding areas evacuated… NOW!"

The five did as they were told. Pulling fire alarms, they ran outside.

"How long as he got?" Frank asked.

"When I left half an hour…"

"Ryan, that was twenty minutes ago!" Elle announced.

Ryan looked at the surrounding area. The people were in turmoil. Ryan headed for the lab.

"Ryan! Where are going?" Elle asked.

"I gotta do something!"

"Ryan, please, don't go in there!"

"We already lived life without Horatio… it wasn't good. I have to."

He took a second to smile at Elle and ran off.

"Horatio!" he called. "H.?"

He went from top to bottom.

"Horatio?" Still no answer. Ryan bit his lip. "… Dad?"

"Ryan?" Ryan raised his eyebrows in surprise at the response but nevertheless followed the voice. He found Horatio.

"How much time have we left?"

"Less then a minute."

"Then we have to get out of here!"

"I'm nearly done… I just have to find the right wire…"

_Thirt seconds._

"Dad… Let's go… NOW!"

_Twenty seconds_

"Just give me a few more seconds…"

"Dad!"

_Ten seconds._

"Ryan get out of here!"

_Nine seconds._

"What!? Not on my own…. DAD! LET'S GO!"

_Five seconds._

"RUN, RYAN!"

Ryan didn't move as the last three seconds blinked and then… nothing. Horatio pulled the bomb from the wall. A note fell to the ground. Ryan picked it up.

"Haha… won't be so lucky next time!" he read. He and Horatio both looked at each other. Heart took over and Ryan rested his head on his father's shoulder.


	5. Every Spark of Friendship and Love

**Every spark of friendship and love**

Ryan and Horatio walked out of the lab. Elle, Delko and Speedle made their way through the crowd to reach them.

Elle ran straight for Ryan and grabbed his arms. "Are you alright? What were you thinking!?" she asked. She stared at Ryan and Ryan stared back at her. He wasn't sure how long she had been holding him for. He smiled down at her and walked over to Horatio.

"You ok?"

Horatio nodded. "Thank you… you didn't have to stay."

"Yeah… well…" Ryan looked around. "I'm gonna go…"

Nothing was on. Ryan flicked through all his channels while downing three bottles of beer and couldn't find anything. So he decided to give Delko a call or, worst comes to worse, Speed.

He picked up the phone and began dialing when he heard a knock on the door. He got up and answered it. It was Elle.

"Hey. What are you doing here?"

"Is Speed here?"

"No…" _Him?_ "He's in a hotel now."Elle nodded. "Can I come in?"

Ryan was surprised. "Um, yeah… sure."

He stepped aside and let her in. "What's up?"

"Why did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"You had no idea that the bomb was a decoy but you still went in… why?"

"We need Horatio … I had more reason to go in then I did to stay outside."

Elle just stared at him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. "What about me?"

"What about you?" He pushed her away. Tears stained her cheek. He brushed one away with his thumb. Without thinking he brushed his thumb across her lips.

Wrapping her fingers in his hair, Elle reached up and kissed him. Ryan's eyes grew wide but he kissed her back. He wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her closer. Elle didn't seem to mind. Elle seemed eager to go further and upped the kissing to urgency. Ryan didn't care. He became lost in her. He barely noticed that his hands were moving in circles around the bare small of her back and that she had moved her fingers under his sweater and was moving to remove it. Ryan pushed her back and, taking her hands in his, looked at her, searching in her eyes for some answers: Elle had confused him more than she could ever have before.

She smiled up at him and kissed below his ear. "I love you," she whispered.

"You know I'm not Speed…?"

She nodded. "Exactly." She began kissing him again, this time kissing him more gently and slowly. Ryan could only stare as she removed his sweater and tee-shirt. Pulling her closer to him, he smiled and led her to the bedroom. He pulled her on top of him and brushed the hair out of her face.

"Elle… I can't do this."

Elle pulled back. "Why?"

"We're fighting a war, Elle… One we mightn't win. I don't think I could face losing you after being so close."

"You'll never lose me."

"I can't take that chance… I'm sorry."

Elle fell down on the bed next to him. "I love you…"

Ryan smiled. "You said that."

"You didn't say it back."

"I thought it went without saying?"

"It didn't."

"I've loved you since the moment I caught you staring at me while Horatio was questioning me."

Elle blushed. " I was not staring."

"You were," Ryan laughed.

"Why did you go in? You could have been killed, and I'd have nothing… Nothing, Ryan."

"Honestly? Because of Horatio… I guess I always some…thing between us and I want to get to know him… as my father."

Elle smiled and rubbed her nose against his cheek, before they fell asleep, their hands lovingly entwined, resting happily on Ryan's chest.

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"Everyone is coming."

Ryan looked up from his file when Delko stormed into the room. He looked at Elle, and smiled when he saw the sophistication her glasses gave her.

"Coming where?" she asked.

"Barney Sundays," Calleigh said. "He's been planning this for a while."

Elle groaned. "I hate Barney Sundays." Ryan looked at her. He had planned to cook her a big dinner tonight to make up for all the time he never told her he loved her.

"Too bad… It's the first time in six months that we are all together… We're going!"

And when Ryan and Elle walked into Barney Sundays after work that night, all the team was there. And it was the first time in six months that the whole team was laughing. As friends and family.

**AN: AHHHHHHH! Intervention just started playing!!!!**


	6. I Can Taste Your Fear

**I can taste your fear**

The team and most of the rest of MDPD sat or stood in the conference room. Horatio had called an urgent meeting and everyone's presence was mandatory.

Elle looked around the room. "Where is he?"

"He'll be here," Stetler reassured.

"What's this meeting about?" Ryan asked. He leaned forward and reached for Elle's hand.

"He didn't say."

Elle looked at Ryan. "It's big... He'd never make this big a deal out od something minute."

Horatio walked into the room. Everyone fell silent. "It's been a tough year. For everyone." He looked pointedly at his team. "There have been losses; gains; we've been hurt physically and emotionally; we've feared for our children, friends. Families. All because we have had very little power in this city for a very long time. It has beonged to cop killers, and gang bagers, and rapists, and murderers. We're at war. Miami is under heavy attack and it's time that fact came to light. Certain people will be targeted: me, my team, my family. Everyone I care about and I apologise for that. But in the end, _we _will be victorious, dead or alive."

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Elle and Ryan walked into his apartment. "Well, that was unexpected," Ryan said. He watched Elle as she walked to the window. "Babe? What's wrong?" He walked up to her.

"Kiss me." He did. She wouldn't let him go. "Ryan, I know you... don't want to... do this but... I need you. I .... I really need you." She never left his lips.

Ryan nodded, forgetting that life wasn't eternal.

Lying in bed, he watched her breathing, stroking her back. He felt wetness drop onto his chest. He looked down to her. "Elle?"

"Ryan, I'm scared." Ryan lifted her up and looked at her face. It was tearstained. "Horatio was right. We're at war. We're fighting over a city."

"We're fighting for justice."

"We're fighting for nothing... We could die. Ryan, I can't lose you."

He rocked her back and forth, holding her close. "You're not going to."

"Ryan, kiss me, please." Ryan kissed her for the rest of the night.


	7. Don't want to fight, don't want to die

**Don't want to fight, don't want to die**

When Elle woke the next morning, Ryan was already up and in the kitchen. Elle kissed him on the cheek and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm making pancakes."

"You don't have to."

"I'm not used to having people here with me in the mornings. And you could use a treat."

"Ryan…" He turned to stare at her. Her big eyes welling up with tears. "I love you."

Ryan gazed down at her. "I love you too." He leaned down to kiss her but they quickly pulled away when someone knocked on the door. "I better get that."

Elle nodded and settled down on a stool with a stack of pancakes, a cup of coffee and a copy of _TV Guide. _

"What are you doing here?" she heard Ryan ask. She looked up and saw Horatio standing at the door. She pulled down the sweater she was wearing to cover her underwear. She smiled up at Horatio.

"I'm just gonna go get changed." She stood up and left the kitchen.

"Sorry if I was interrupting something," Horatio said as he stepped into the apartment.

"No, you weren't. We were just having breakfast."

"Can you come into the lab today?"

Ryan glanced back to the bedroom. "Why?"

* * *

Elle dialled Ryan again as she got off the elevator. He was supposed to meet her and he never showed. She thought he might be at the lab, but why wasn't he answering her calls?

She frowned when Natalia hurried past her. "Natalia!" They walked up to each other. "What's going on?"

"It's Ryan and Horatio. There was a shootout and… One of them got shot…"

Elle's head swam. "Can I go with you?"

"Yeah."

* * *

Elle ran into the waiting room. Everyone but Horatio.

Ryan was covered in blood. Elle ran into his arms. "You promised you wouldn't fight! Horatio could die and you promised you wouldn't fight," she sobbed into his chest.

Ryan wrapped his arms around her. "Shhh… It's all gonna be ok.""No, it's not… I don't want any more of family to die."


End file.
